Conflict and Compensation
by Phemon13
Summary: Ever since he kicked her off, Fox has been regretting his decision for the longest time. But... Why is he sitting in a far-from-harmless bar in the middle of nowhere? To find out, one must read on...


I don't own anything except the ideas

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_What am I doing here?_

Hey. Fox McCloud here. You know, hero of the Lylat System and Captain of the famous Star Fox Team? You're probably wondering why I'm hanging around such a downtrodden bar in the middle of nowhere, so I'll explain.

About three or four years ago, the team and I finally defeated Oikonny and the Aparoids for good. Yup, quite a feat if I do say so myself. The team and I even got a (unknown time duration) hiatus because of it. But I won against them without something important. Something VERY important. Yup, I haven't seen nor heard from Krystal after I (stupidly) kicked her off the team, and I was breaking down. I would spend endless days without sleep (Peppy even had to sedate me one time) just worrying about her. I overheard a rumor that she had joined Star Wolf, our nemesis', a rumor I wholeheartedly refuted. But now, after we did said feat, I contacted Star Wolf's Captain, Wolf, to discuss with him the whereabouts of Krystal. But, us being rivals, our conversations are kind of like this...

.

_Flashback_

_"Where the fuck is she?!" I yelled at the top of my voice, irritated_

_"Listen here you fleabag! I don't know where she is now and that's final!" Wolf retaliated angrily_

_"But she was a part of your team!"_

_"SHE WAS! But she quit for unknown reasons!"_

_"Why?"_

_"YOU STUBBORN DOLT! I just said 'we don't know why!'! And why the fuck aren't we having a massive battle right now?"_

_"We both forgot to bring blasters and I have you pinned to the floor right now..."_

_"Ah, right..."_

_"..."_

_"Look Fox, all I know is that your would-have-been girlfriend has travelled to the Kerbal System, a neighbouring galaxy. But I don't think you want to know what happened to her..."_

_"I don't care. I am going to find her and get her back." Fox decides determinedly._

_"Heh. Finally admitting your feelings huh?"_

_"Yeah, I'm a few years late I guess..."_

_"Well good luck fleabag. I hate to see my rival in such a pitiful state." Wolf jokes_

_"I will probably never say this again, but thanks Wolf. Say Hi to Pigma to me..."_

_"...?"_

_"And then punch him in the face." Fox concludes flashing a joking smile_

_"Heh. Will do Fox..."_

_[End Flashback]_

_._

And here we are. The rest of Star Fox gave me their goodbyes and good lucks (along with a teary goodbye from Slippy -_-'), I packed enough provisions in my Arwing, which fits a lot more than I thought, and a map of the Kerbal System (which is quite a bit smaller than the Lylat System) and set off on my journey.

During my search of the Kerbal System, I began to notice a pattern. Every main planet's bar, police station and spaceport had the same poster on their billboards: A bounty for a notorious "Bounty Hunter", "Tyrant", "Malevolent B-i-itch" and so on. And the reward was quite a few million credits more then my yearly salary. Her starcraft looked like a grotesque modification of a suped-up Wolfen, with more than a few extra guns and protection, and was painted dark-purple/navy blue. But the person surprised me even more. If Krystal had a sister that was the evil opposite of her, along with longer hair, and empty, emotionless eyes, this would be the person. But since I knew Krystal's planet got destroyed (something she didn't like talking about), I knew it had to be her. Deemed 'Kursed', she had a list of evildoings longer than the number of girlfriends Falco has had. Anything from presidential assassination to vandalism in a small planet's nameless town, it was there. Whatever hit Krystal to make her do these things, it hit her pretty damn hard.

After a bit of conversing with the majority of the 'bad people' of Kerbal, I found that she hangs around a part of the System that no normally sane person would ever dare to go. In a bar in the middle of nowhere that inside resides some of the most ruthless, notorious and hell-ridden outlaws the galaxies have to offer. Including Kursed.

And there you go. Here I am, at End of The Line: If You Haven't Been to Hell Yet, This is The Next Worse Place, quietly sipping on my beer waiting and watching a table with one lone resident: Kursed, The Bane of the Kelbar System herself. And I have no idea what to say to her.

"Hey barkeep?" I ask the sheep manning the bar (think of the sheep from Catherine)

"Yeah? You want another?" He asks in a very thick Southern accent.

"Not right now. But you could tell me a little about that blue beauty..."

"If you're talkin' 'bout Kursed, she ain't taken."

"N-no I didn-"

"But don't be thinkin' you can just waltz over there and woo 'er pretty heart. The last time someone tried that, he didn' have a leg t' stand on."

"That doesn't sound too ba-"

"He was a giant centipede." The barkeep says as he adds a steely glare.

"*whistle*" Fox compliments, feeling sorry for the guy

"Yeah, she's like that with almost everyone, 'specially guys. You see that poor shmuck over there?" the barkeep asks, pointing over to a lone turtle, drowning his sorrows with a bottle of Scotch (no glass. He didn't need one).

"Yeah?"

"That _was_ Schilter the Scourager. The meanest, most horrible tyrant this bar, maybe even this galaxy, has seen. That is, until he started flirtin' wit Kursed over there."

"Oh. What happened?"

"Let's just say I lost one of my largest whiskey bottles. And **don't** ask where it went."

_"Ow."_

"I'm jus' sayin': any guy that comes near here in order t' romance her, take her to the stars, or recruit her into their band of bandits, or anything else is in for trouble and most likely excruciating pain." The barkeep concludes, wiping the inside of one of the dirty glasses.

"_Sheesh. Guess she took the eviction off of Star Fox pretty seriously..." _"Hey Barkeep? Care to make a bet?"

"What type of bet?" The barkeep asks, intrigued

"If I can have a decent, say 20 second conversation with Kursed over there, will you buy us as many drinks as we want?"

"You serious? Hell if anyone could do that I'd clear their bar tab! What will you do if you fail?"

"I'll pay a round of drinks for everyone here." he gestures the whole bar.

"Hell that sounds fair. You got yourself a deal!" the barkeep agrees, shaking Fox's paw.

"Alright! Wish me luck!" Fox exclaims, heading for Kursed

"Hell no! I want to see you fail!" the barkeep jokes

"_alright Fox McCloud, you can do this..."_

_._

_'Kursed's' POV_

_Ugh such a headache. I must've shot down at least 20 guys this week. And not including the lesbos. Why the fuck do they think they can just flirt with__** me**__, the infamous Bounty Hunter Kursed? I don't know why I eve-_

"Hey there beautiful, why haven't I seen a vixen such as radiant as you before?" an oddly familiar voice tries to pick her up

_Ugh, not another. This kid's definitely going down..._

_"_Listen creep. I hope you know who-" Kursed starts

_... The Fuck?_

_._

Fox's 3rd POV

"Yes?" he responds, trying to keep himself from smirking

"you're talking to?" she finishes, slightly shocked by the person standing in front of her

"It's been a long time Krystal. Or do you only go by your alias Kursed?"

Kursed exhales "Huh, you're the last person I'd expect to see here."

"I guess. Mind if I sit down? We've got a lot to talk about..." He asks, sitting down in the chair opposite her, producing gasps of surprise from the eavesdropping crowd of the bar.

"Fine, fine. So what brings you, of all people, to End of The Line, the biggest bar for all us low-lying creeps of the cosmos?"

"Well a few things" He lies "Firstly, the Star Fox team is _finally_ on a hiatus after beating Oikonny once and for all..."

"Seriously? I was beginning to think that creep was immortal."

"Apparently not. To make sure, we scattered his body parts _all _across the system (Castlevania reference!)" Fox jokes, spreading his arms in an exaggerated fashion

"Haha, why? Did you kill him with a stake or something?" Kursed plays along, showing bit by bit of her 'Krystal' side

"Nope. Blaster"

"Good choice"

"Anyways, when we were given the hiatus, My mind was on three things: Having a break from all the 'saving the galaxy Aparoid' BS..."

"mmhmm..." Kursed nods lazily sipping on her beer

"Travelling the cosmos..."

"Yup"

"... And getting you back." He finishes looking Kursed directly in the eye bef-

"PPHHHHHFT!" -ore She spits...

"Okay, not the response I was hoping..." Fox adds sadly, drying himself off

"You serious Mr Fox McCloud? You think that I would just happily come back to you, the one main cause for the reason I'm like this?" A bustle of murmurs break out among the outlookers

"Well Kryst-"

"Don't call me that! The Krystal you knew is dead! I. Am. Kursed! Feared by all men, by all species, and ties with noone!" She exclaims, standing up

"Krys-"

"**I said don't call me that."** She demands picking up Fox by his collar

"But it's such a beautiful name..."

"!" Kursed chokes slightly on her spit "Sh-shut it! Noone's called me that since... since" She pauses, shaking now visibly

"Since what?"

"... BWAHHH! Q.Q" she releases Fox while simultaneously crying into a heap on the table they've been sitting at.

"... I think you need a drink" Fox remarks, heading towards the barkeep again

"You better believe it you furry fucktard..."

.

"Sheesh man. I'm not sure if that was a conversation the way THAT ended..." the barkeep remarks, staring at the still bawling Kursed

"Don't push it. It was more than 20 seconds. Pay up."

"What did you say to make her like that?"

"Let's just say we have a background..."

"Mind if I hear in on it?"

"Not now. Maybe after this... And that depends if I'm alive after facing 'drunk Kursed'."

"True... Good luck pal"

"Thanks" Fox says his 'last words' before heading back to Kursed, who has finally regained her bearings

.

_**A few drinks later...**_

**.**

"An-an then..." Kursed attempts to begin

"Ye-*hic*-ah?"

"After that sonofabitch (Fox) **ditched** me to go off fight the galaxy 'r some shit..."

"Yea yeah?" Fox replies, half drunk

"I got recruited into Shtar Wolf; I swear, Panther could NOT keep himself from being distracted by _this!"_ Kursed exclaims, showing off (but not taking off) her body, sleek in battle armor

"I know! Hell if I was fightin' wit' you, I couldn't keep my hands off ya!"

"Aww thanks man! If I met you before that **bastard **Fox, I wouldn't've been the literal train wreck I am now!"

"Why do ya think you're a train wreck?"

"Well like I said, after I got kicked off Shtar Fox, people thought I was a fucking _traitor _even though I was the one traitor...ed... Traitored?"

"Shit. I feel ya babe."

"Yeah, I had ta disappear to this system with one of the Wolfens... It's been so fuckin' shit since Fox dumped me..."

"Hell if **I **had you with me, I'd make sure you'd get what you deserve!"

"Thanks dude..."

.

_**A few more drinks later...**_

_**.**_

Now this is the time where the all-too-famous "drunk relationship talk" starts, and disaster is sure to follow...

"I swear, I have had no boyfriend since I started this Kursed facade..." Kursed starts chugging the _n_th beer they have ordered...

"Serious? Your hot body has got _nothing?_'

"Serious! I still haven't gotten over that handsome ass Fox..."

This one statement completely sobered up Fox. All he could do is but look at the drunk Kursed chugging the _n_th+1 beer with extreme vigor. At this time, he actually thought she was beautiful, with the [insert completely over-the-top description of the] beads of liquid sliding down her [same over-the-top description] luscious body...

"S-Serious?"

"Yeah! I still love that ass... _Why did he just ditch me? I thought he loved me..." _Kursed whispers quietly

"I still do..." Fox whispers back

"Whazzah say?"

"N-nothing!" Fox answers, chugging another beer, trying to shrug off this new info on 'Kursed'.

"Sure..."

.

_**A couple more drinks plus a round of completely off-key singing later...**_

.

Let's just say that they are now fully fledged _plastered_. And the barkeep has had quite enough...

"Whaaat? I'm not druuunk! I'm perfectly *hic* fine!" Kursed slurs attempting to stand up, using same level drunk Fox as a support

"Yeah! I c'n take on... da whole... SHYSHTEM right now!" Fox yells, still clutching one of the beers from the bar

"I think you two need a nice shower and a warm bed right now..." the barkeep suggests

"That actually sounds _really_ good..." Kursed says

"That's what I thought... You two need a cab to the nearest hotel?"

"Nah, my Wolfen has a bedroom and shower"

"Serious? The Arwing's got barely any space for my provisions..."

"Well with my salary from the bounties I did I paid for a nice expansion. It includes a full bath!"

"Nice! Why are we standin' round here? **Onward!**" Fox exclaims, staggering to the parking airway with tipsy Kursed in tow...

.

...

The Next Day...

...

.

_Ugh... I am __**never**__ drinking that much again... Where am I? And why is it all dark blue? _Fox questions himself as he attempts to gather his bearings. _Huh. I'm a bit cold, and this duvet I'm under isn't hel-... Wait duvet?_

Once his vision finally clears, Fox finds himself in a dark purple/navy blue colored bedroom, not what he remembers of any hotel he's been in...

_Fuck... This headache's not going to go away anytime soon. I'll just lay down an-_

d get an extremely close-up view of the one woman he was chasing the whole time he's been in this system: Kursed, and half-dressed at that too. He then conveniently finds he is half-dressed too, adding to his confusion.

"What. The. Fuck. Happened last night?" Fox wonders staring at the still asleep form of the momentarily tame vixen. He tries to remember what happened at the bar, but finds nothing except one quote from a drunk Kursed:

_"I still haven't gotten over that handsome-ass fox..."_

_Did... Did she really mean that? Was that outward hostility just a shell of lingering hatred for me? _He wonders now gazing at the blue beauty laying dormant beside him, absently stroking her hair out of her eyes

_"Why did he leave me?"_

This cry of anguish from Kursed bore quite deeply into Fox's, abeit drunken, tender heart.

"I only wanted to protect you Krystal..."

.

"Muuh... Foox..." Kursed whispered so lowly Fox was surprised he heard it

_"Krystal?..."_

"Don't... Don't leave me Fox..." Kursed continues to mumble, obviously experiencing some type of dream, maybe even a recurring one...

"Shh Krys, I'm here, don't worry..." Fox subconsciously cooes, momentarily forgetting he's sitting beside an infamous bounty hunter, and in her ship no less.

"You... you lied to me... You crushed what was left of my heart... Never... **never** forgive..." Kursed growls, baring her fangs, still asleep

"But Krystal: I have found that what I did was completely uncalled for. I have decided that I will do whatever I can in order to make you forgive me..." Fox cooes again, trying his best to hopefully make it to Krystal, or what's left of her

"Muuh... You liar..." She retorts, slowly awakening from her slumber

_"Oh. Shit." _Fox thinks, knowing now he is screwed

"Huh... What happened last night? I remember going to the bar and-" she talks to herself, turning over to (like Fox) find the pinnacle of her downfall half-dressed and staring at her

"..."

"..."

"Good morning Krys-"

**"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE?"** Kursed resurfaces, taking the full brunt force of the situation, covering herself and jumping to the other side of the room simultaneously

"Now I assure you Krystal, what happened last nigh-"

"**Why are you here? What the hell happened last night? What did we do?"**

"Now I don't think these continuous questions will only further our headaches bu-"

"**Answer me!"** ... If one who would know about Kursed and her straightforward attitude, daring stare, and general pissed-off-edness; they would think this scene was a doppleganger of her or something, cowering at the sheer thought of what _might_ have happened last night

"..."

"Fuck this. I am killing you right now, so that you won't... **torment** me with your lies and backstabbing any more..." Kursed yells turning and heading for the dresser where Fox guesses she keeps all her armaments

"Wha- KRYSTAL STOP!" Fox rushes over to the determined Krystal who is opening the dresser and throws his arms around her waist, resulting in a squeak from Krystal

"What th- Fox! Let go of me!" Krystal retorts angrily attempting to escape from the vulpine's strong embrace

"No! I will not let you go until you listen to me!" Fox yells, authority in his voice

"No! **I'm never listening to you, you backstabbing sonofa-"**

"I STILL LOVE YOU KRYSTAL!" Fox screams, letting his feelings get the better of him

"Hah! Bullshit! Why'd you kick me off the team then you bas-" Krystal retorts, not backing down

**"I didn't want you to get hurt!"** He yells, stopping Krystal from arguing further

"Bu-"

"But nothing! Everytime you went out on a mission, I couldn't help but worry about you! Everytime something attacked anywhere NEAR you my instincts tell me to attempt to protect you in anyway possible! Hell, I forgot the mission one time just because some Aparoid was on your tail!" Fox confesses, spilling out every fibre of his worry for Krystal to hear

"Fox..."

"I never meant for you to join Star Wolf! Nor letting you being cast as a traitor! And **definitely** not causing you to become this atrocity you are now!"

"..."

"But, seeing how you won't possibly forgive me, I suggest you kill me now, so you can hopefully lead a happy life. All I can say is: I love you Krystal, and I never meant for any of this to happen... I hope that killing me will help me repent for the sins I caused..." Fox finishes, letting go of Krystal's frame and moving back towards the bed, then kneeling with his back to it (still facing (he thinks) Krystal), shutting his eyes

"..."

"And one more thing: I will never regret meeting you. I found the most amazingly strong and wild force the universes have to offer: love towards another being. Just please Krystal, make it quick..." he concludes shedding a single tear and inhaling his last breath, waiting for the inevitable death...

...

But nothing comes. No barrel against his head, blade through his jugular or heart (which he would melancholically point out isn't there but with Krystal), sound of anything whether it be her voice or a gun blast, or even Krystal tying him to the bed and proceeding to gouge out his eyes or preform a prostate exam with a rusty spork (Something I recommend never doing. **Ever.**). Nothing. But something does come, and it surprises Fox more than if he found out that his father had a illicit relationship with Pigma...

A kiss. Not on the cheek, which he has gotten a lot if you include the prepubescent days of his middle school life, but fully on the lips. By Krystal/Kursed: the one being he would have **never** expected it from. And it seemed pretty forceful too, forcing him up and onto the bed, Krystal's body continuously pressing against him, showing the hidden want for him that Krystal now emenates. After they both remember their face-holes are made for breathing, they part and Krystal is the first to speak up, blush prominent on her face

"You took my heart and mutilated it into metaphorical grains of heartbreak and anguish. Any normal, sane person would never forgive someone for something like that..." Krystal pauses, taking in Fox's expression

"..." Fox remains silent, pushing Krystal to continue

"But if, for instance, your planet was destroyed, like mine was, and any form of happiness blew up alongside it..."

"Uh-huh..."

"Any form of new joy or happiness that happens to wander across you path would replace the empty chasm the now space rubble left..."

"And that was me?"

"Correct, so logically, I would wholeheartedly accept your apology, in order to regain that lost feeling of joy, right?"

"So that means you fo-"

"Slow down Foxy-Brown, I said_ logically_, right?"

"Yes..."

"But you failed to include the following agonizing years that resulted in this, ahem, 'literal train wreck' you see before you" Krystal explains, remembering piece by piece of last night, along with her slurred confessions

"But I never me-"

"I know you never meant that. But, seeing our current circumstances right now, I could consider forgiving yo-"

"**Really Krystal? I'm so-**" he attempts to voice his joy but gets cut off (again) by Krystal's finger on his lips

_"_Jeez, I even mention me forgiving you and you're ecstatic like a newborn kit..."

"Well, after what has happened, can you blame me?" Fox replies, smirking at the vixen still on his stomach

"I guess not..." Krystal acknowledges, bringing her body close to his and her face closer "For 6 years, my life has been an emotional downspiral because of you..."

"Which I am sorry..."

"Can it. After being betrayed by the first being I encounter after my sleep, I trusted nothing with a conscious from that point on. I will gradually forgive you **on one condition**"

"Name it, and I will follow"

"You promise to love me with every fibre of your being for the rest of your life, and if you can, I'll do the same back."

"That was my original plan from the beginning" He replies smiling at the unfathomable luck he has been given

"You better believe it..." Krystal replies, giving one of the most warmest smiles Fox has ever seen, once again laying herself on Fox, pressing somewhat forcefully on his lips

_"You did it Fox. You turned what seemed like an impossible future and made it reality. If there was an achievement for wholly succeeding at life, you would have obtained it" _Fox sighs at the accomplishment _"Next on the impossible makeshift bucket list: dividing by zero!"_ he jokes to himself, now content with the blue vixen on top of him that is now his forever...

.

.

As they just laid on Krystal's bed, enjoying the beat of each other's hearts, Fox suddenly realizes something

"Hey Krys?"

"Mmm?"

"I believe that you aren't the only thing I'm going to love in the future..." he begins, noticing the shock plastered on Krystal's face

"_**What?**_" she asks disbelievingly, horror etched over her face

"That is, only if we plan on having a family!" He replies, laughing at his mate's look of relief

"Sheesh, you nearly gave me a heart attack"

"Sorry, speaking the truth..."

"But... a family doesn't sound like a bad idea" Krystal ponders "But he or she or they will have to be brought up _far_ away from here" she decides, cringing at her 'accomplishments' she has done in this system

"That sounds perfect. How does the Lylat System sound?" Fox queries, resulting in a surprised face from Krystal

"W-what? Will... will they take me back? Even after what has happened?" She asks, worry laced into her voice

"I'm sure they will. Even the team thought it was mainly my fault..." Fox confesses sheepishly

"That'd be picture perfect. And the upcoming family is the icing on the cake" Krystal says, tears of happiness in her eyes

"Speaking of that..." Fox says, a hint of slyness in his voice

"Yeees?" Krystal replies, matching his level of slyness

"Care to start now?" He states, bringing her closer

"I wouldn't have it any other way" she replies, having already commanded the auto-pilot to have a direct course back to the Lylat System, where their former and future lives wait in anticipation...

.

_**FIN**_

.

_Now THAT took a while! I had this general idea a couple weeks ago and it became something as large as this! _

_Btw, my storyline is where Oikonny and the Aparoids are still the antagonists, Fox didn't reencounter Krystal after the 'eviction', and that her joining Star Wolf was only a rumour (which was true)._

_Well, as my first Fox x Krystal/Kursed fanfic, I'd say it's pretty damn good. R&R everyone! Constructive criticism welcome!_


End file.
